Prison Island

Synopsis

Prison Island by Colleen Frakes

McNeil Island in Washington State was home to one of the last island prisons in the U.S. - and accessible only by air or sea. But for Colleen Frakes and her family, it was also just home. When the island was closed in 2011, the Frakes family returned for one last visit. Colleen's memories still linger (the boat rides to school, a day-long hunt for pizza, and a birthday party ruined by an escape), but the island is rapidly changing. Luckily, this final tour offers Colleen a unique opportunity to catch hold of her past.

Reviews

This is a charming story that just goes to show that, no matter where you live, a family is a family. I think that Frakes has an endearing drawing style and great enthusiasm for sharing some slice-of-life observations. And she provides a positive and realistic portrait of living in close vicinity to a prison. -Comics Grinder

Frakes's loose b&w cartooning and straightforward dialogue provide a solid sense of both McNeil's history and the peculiarities of life on a prison island (such as having to lock up pool toys that could potentially be used in an escape). . . the overall tone of the book is nostalgic and melancholy, a highly specific example of the idea that one can't go home again. --Publishers Weekly